Medicines Management Programme: Preferred Medicines Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibitors 

 Medicines Management Programme: Preferred Medicines Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibitors Approved by Date approved Version Updated Prof. Michael Barry, Clinical Lead, MMP. 24th September 2013 2 7th March 2014 Table of contents 1. Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 1 2. Preferred ACE inhibitor ..................................................................................................... 1 3. Rationale for selection ...................................................................................................... 1 3.1 Licensed Therapeutic Indications ............................................................................... 1 3.2 Clinical outcome data ................................................................................................. 3 3.3 Clinical guidelines ....................................................................................................... 4 3.4 Cost ............................................................................................................................. 6 3.5 Patient factors............................................................................................................. 6 3.6 Prescribing trends in Ireland....................................................................................... 7 4. Summary ........................................................................................................................... 8 5. References......................................................................................................................... 9 6. Bibliography .................................................................................................................... 14 Appendix. Prescribing Tips for Ramipril .............................................................................. 16 List of tables Table 1. Licensed Indications & Frequency of Administration.......................................... 2 Table 2 Examples of pivotal ACE inhibitor RCTs reviewed in the selection process ........ 3 Table 3. Clinical Guidelines................................................................................................ 5 Table A1. Ramipril dosing and administration................................................................... 16 Table of figures Figure 1. Reimbursement cost per month based on DDD. .................................................... 6 List of abbreviations ACCF American College of Cardiology Foundation ACE Angiotensin‐converting enzyme AHA American Heart Association BD ‘bis die’ – twice daily BHS British Hypertension Society BP Blood pressure CHF Congestive heart failure DBP Diastolic blood pressure ESC European Society of Cardiology GMS General Medical Services HF Heart failure HTN Hypertension MI Myocardial infarction NICE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK) MMP Medicines Management Programme RAS Renin‐aldosterone system RCT Randomised controlled trial SBP Systolic Blood Pressure 1. Purpose There are ten licensed angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in Ireland.1 Annual expenditure on ACE inhibitors under the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme exceeds an estimated €15 million.2 The selection of a preferred ACE inhibitor under the Medicines Management Programme (MMP) is designed to support prescribers in choosing a medicine of proven safety and efficacy in the management of patients with cardiovascular conditions, particularly hypertension and heart failure. In selecting a preferred ACE inhibitor the MMP aims to enhance the quality of prescribing and provide value for money. The guidance may not be applicable to all patient populations, e.g. children and patients with congenital cardiac conditions, in which circumstances specialist advice should be sought. The use of ACE inhibitors is not recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy. ACE inhibitors are contraindicated during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.3‐12 2. Preferred ACE inhibitor Under the MMP, the preferred ACE inhibitor is RAMIPRIL. 3. Rationale for selection 3.1 Licensed Therapeutic Indications A broad licence in terms of therapeutic indication(s) relative to other drugs in this class is considered advantageous. This enables the prescriber to use the same drug across a range of therapeutic indications. As the focus of this guidance is the use of ACE inhibitors for hypertension and heart failure, the preferred ACE inhibitor should be licensed at minimum for these two indications. Additional licensed therapeutic indications incorporating other patient groups, e.g. renal disease, are welcome. Captopril, lisinopril and ramipril are noted to have broad licences in terms of therapeutic indications relative to other drugs within the ACE inhibitor class, as demonstrated in table 1. Version 2 -1-
Table 1. Licensed Indications & Frequency of Administration Drug HTN HF Renal disease/ nephropathy Acute MI Coronary heart disease Frequency of Administration Benazepril    Once daily Captopril     Three times daily Cilazapril   Once daily Enalapril   Once daily‐BD Lisinopril     Once daily Perindopril    Once daily Quinapril   Once daily ‐BD Ramipril      Once daily‐BD Trandolapril  *  Once daily Zofenopril   Once daily *Left ventricular dysfunction after myocardial infarction ± symptoms of heart failure ± residual ischaemia.
11 Ramipril has the broadest licence in terms of therapeutic indications relative to other drugs within the ACE inhibitor class. Version 2 -2-
3.2 Clinical outcome data The safety and efficacy of the preferred ACE inhibitor should be demonstrated in high quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and other published studies. Table 2 lists examples of the RCTs considered in the review process. This list is not exhaustive and is intended to serve as an example only. For the full list of RCTs and clinical studies considered as part of the review process, as well as submissions from relevant stakeholders, please see the bibliography. Table 2. Examples of pivotal ACE inhibitor RCTs reviewed in the selection process Drug Pivotal Trials Benazepril Captopril Cilazapril Enalapril Lisinopril Perindopril Pool J et al (2001)13; ACCOMPLISH (2008) 14 SAVE (1992)15 ; CAPP (1999)16 Cilazapril‐Captopril Multicenter Group (1995)17 CONSENSUS (1987)18; SOLVD (1991)19; ABCD (1998)20 ATLAS (1999)21; ALLHAT (2002)22 PROGRESS (2001)23; EUROPA (2003)24; PEP‐CHF Study (2006)25; PREAMI (2006)26 Holt et al (1986)27; QUIET (1999) 28 AIRE (1993)29; HOPE (2000)30 ; AASK (2002) 31 TRACE (1995) 32 SMILE (1995)33; SMILE‐2 (2003)34; SMILE‐ISCHAEMIA (2007) 35 Quinapril Ramipril Trandolapril Zofenopril Observational studies, meta‐analyses and review articles were also considered as part of the review process. These were identified in the course of a search of the databases Medline (1946‐2013), EMBASE (1974‐2013) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970‐2013). Key findings are as follows: 
In an expert consensus document on ACE inhibitors in cardiovascular disease, the European Society of Cardiology (2004) state that ‘all currently available ACE inhibitors can be considered equally effective at lowering blood pressure’. 36 
In a comparison of ACE inhibitors for the treatment of congestive heart failure, Tu et al (2005) found that ‘relative to those initiated on enalapril, no significant differences in the combined end point of readmission to the hospital for congestive heart failure or mortality were observed among users of lisinopril, ramipril, or other ACE inhibitors (included benazepril, captopril, cilazapril, fosinopril, perindopril, quinapril, and trandolapril)’.37 Version 2 -3-
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A Cochrane review (2008) of the blood pressure lowering efficacy of ACE inhibitors for primary hypertension found that ‘there are no clinically meaningful BP‐lowering differences between different ACE inhibitors’.38 
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guideline Development Group (UK) assumed a drug class effect when assessing results of studies of ACE inhibitors. 39 On this basis the MMP considers all ACE inhibitors to have similar efficacy in terms of BP‐
lowering effects and in heart failure. ACE inhibitors are considered to have similar efficacy in terms of BP‐lowering effects and in heart failure. 3.3 Clinical guidelines In the absence of clinical guidelines specific to Ireland, international clinical guidelines on the management of hypertension and heart failure were considered in the process of identifying the ACE inhibitor of choice (table 3). In some clinical guidelines, particular ACE inhibitors are preferred; in many cases, no preference is given for a particular drug but certain drug properties are considered favourable, e.g. generic drug, once daily administration. Submissions from clinicians with a special interest in the relevant therapeutic areas were also considered in the process. Version 2 -4-
Table 3. Clinical Guidelines Group European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 40, 41 Guideline Heart failure Year 2012 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Clinical Guideline No. 108 42 American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association (ACCF/AHA) 43 Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) 44 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 45 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Clinical Guideline No. 127 46 British Hypertension Society (BHS) IV 47 Heart failure 2010 Preferred ACE inhibitor Captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril, trandolapril (41) Not specified Heart failure 2009 Not specified Heart failure Hypertension Hypertension 2007 2013 2011 Hypertension 2004 Not specified Not specified Not specified. Generic, once daily. Not specified Generic, once daily. Practice guidelines National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Clinical Knowledge Heart failure Summary (CKS) 48 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Clinical Knowledge Hypertension (not diabetic) Summary (CKS) 39 2010 2012 Enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril, trandolapril.  HTN: Enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril.  HTN + HF: Enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril, trandolapril.  Diabetes + HTN: As for HTN + HF ‐ & perindopril  HTN + MI: Lisinopril, perindopril, ramipril. Ramipril is among the ACE inhibitors recommended for the treatment of hypertension and heart failure in a number of international clinical guidelines. Version 2 -5-
3.4 Cost Value for money is an important consideration. A drug of lower acquisition cost is preferred, notwithstanding safety and efficacy data, i.e. the cheaper of two drugs is preferred unless the more expensive has a proven advantage.49 Optimal dose and frequency of administration were important factors for consideration in terms of cost, i.e. the daily cost of treating a patient with the optimal dose at the correct dosing frequency was considered. The optimal dose was obtained from the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPCs), 3‐12 the British National Formulary 50 and where available, clinical guidance.41 Ramipril and lisinopril are considered to have comparable or favourable cost profiles relative to other ACE inhibitors.2 Figure 1 displays the typical reimbursement cost per month of available ACE inhibitors based on the defined daily dose (DDD).51 Reimbursement cost per month (DDD)
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Figure 1. Reimbursement cost per month based on DDD. Ramipril and lisinopril have comparable or favourable cost profiles across all doses and frequencies relative to other ACE inhibitors. 3.5 Patient factors 3.5.1 Dosing and Administration In the absence of clinical outcome data demonstrating superiority of one drug over another, drugs taken once daily are preferred to those requiring multiple daily doses. This was not particularly relevant in the case of ACE inhibitors where the majority are taken once daily (table 1). 3, 5‐12 Captopril is generally administered three times a day.4, 50 Version 2 -6-
3.5.2 Adverse effects The preferred drug should not carry a high risk of adverse effects or drug interactions relative to other drugs in its class.49 Licensed product information (SmPCs), the BNF and clinical reviews do not suggest significant differences in adverse effect profiles between ACE inhibitors. The results of a meta‐analysis of almost 200,000 patients treated with ACE inhibitors suggest that the incidence of cough is similar among all ACE inhibitors and may be several‐fold higher in the literature than reported in product information and RCTs.52 Therefore, the MMP considers the ACE inhibitors similar in terms adverse effect profiles. 3.5.3 Cost to patients Cost is also an important consideration for patients; a drug of lower acquisition cost is preferred, bearing in mind optimum dosage and frequency of administration. Ramipril and lisinopril are considered to have favourable cost profiles relative to other ACE inhibitors across all doses and frequencies. 2 With the exception of captopril, which is given three times a day, there are no significant differences between ACE inhibitors in terms of administration & adverse effect profiles. Ramipril and lisinopril have a comparable or favourable cost profile across all doses and frequencies relative to other ACE inhibitors. 3.6 Prescribing trends in Ireland Current prescribing data for ACE inhibitors in single agent and combination products were considered in the selection process. Approximately 85% of ACE inhibitors prescribed on the GMS scheme in Ireland are prescribed as single agent products.53 Of these, ramipril is the most frequently prescribed ACE inhibitor, followed by perindopril and lisinopril, respectively.53 Ramipril is the most frequently prescribed ACE inhibitor in Ireland. Version 2 -7-
4. Summary Preferred ACE inhibitor: RAMIPRIL
 Ramipril has the broadest licence in terms of therapeutic indications relative to other drugs within the ACE inhibitor class.  On the basis of available evidence, ACE inhibitors are considered to have similar efficacy in terms of BP‐lowering effects and in heart failure.  Ramipril is listed as a suitable ACE inhibitor in a number of international clinical guidelines on the management of hypertension and heart failure.  Ramipril is considered to have a comparable or favourable cost profile across all doses and frequencies relative to other ACE inhibitors.  There are no significant differences between ACE inhibitors in terms of administration and adverse effect profiles.  Ramipril is the most frequently prescribed ACE inhibitor in Ireland. Version 2 -8-
5. References 1. Irish Medicines Board. Human medicines listings. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 15th July 2013. 2. National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics. Personal communication, August 2013. On file. 3. Cibacin® (benazepril) 5 mg tablets SmPC. Last revised January 2013. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 6th September 2013. 4. Capoten® (captopril) 25 mg tablets SmPC. Last revised October 2012. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 6th September 2013. 5. Vascase® (cilazapril) 1 mg SmPC. Last revised November 2012. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 6th September 2013. 6. Innovace® (enalapril) 5 mg SmPC. Last revised May 2012. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 6th September 2013. 7. Zestril® (lisinopril) 10 mg SmPC. Last revised March 2012. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 6th September 2013. 8. Coversyl® Arginine (perindopril) 5 mg tablets SmPC. Last revised June 2012. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 6th September 2013. 9. Accupro® (quinapril) 10 mg tablets SmPC. Last revised June 2013. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 6th September 2013. 10. Tritace® (ramipril) 2.5 mg tablets SmPC. Last revised May 2013. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 6th September 2013. 11. Odrik® (trandolapril) 1 mg SmPC. Last revised November 2011. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 6th September 2013. 12. Zofenil® (zofenapril) 15 mg tablets SmPC. Last revised October 2012. Accessed at www.imb.ie on 6th September. 13. Pool J et al. Once‐daily treatment of patients with hypertension: a placebo‐controlled study of amlodipine and benazepril vs amlodipine or benazepril alone. Journal of Human Hypertension 2001; 15(7): 495‐499. 14. Jamerson K et al on behalf of the ACCOMPLISH investigators. Benazepril plus Amlodipine or Hydrochlorothiazide for Hypertension in High‐Risk Patients. New England Journal of Medicine 2008;359(23): 2417‐28. 15. Pfeffer M et al on behalf of the SAVE Investigators. Effect of Captopril on Mortality and Morbidity in Patients with left Ventricular Dysfunction after Myocardial Infarction. New England Journal of Medicine 1992; 327(10): 669‐677. Version 2 -9-
16. Lennart Hansson et al for the Captopril Prevention Project (CAPPP) study group. Effect of angiotensin‐converting‐enzyme inhibition compared with conventional therapy on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in hypertension: the Captopril Prevention Project (CAPPP) randomised trial. Lancet 1999; 353: 611‐616. 17. The Cilazapril‐Captopril Multicenter Group. Comparison of the effects of cilazapril and captopril versus placebo on exercise testing in chronic heart failure patients: a double‐
blind, randomized, multicenter trial. Cardiology 1995; 86 Suppl 1:34‐40. 18. The Consensus trial study group. Effects of enalapril on mortality in severe congestive heart failure. New England Journal of Medicine 1987; 316:1429‐1435. 19. The SOLVD Investigators. Effect of enalapril on survival in patients with left ventricular ejection fractions and congestive heart failure. New England Journal of Medicine 1991; 325(5): 293‐302. 20. Estacio RD et al. The effects of nisoldipine as compared with enalapril on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with non‐insulin dependent diabetes and hypertension (ABCD). New England Journal of Medicine 1998; 338 (10):645‐52. 21. Packer M et al on behalf of the ATLAS study group. Comparative effects of low and high doses of the angiotensin converting enzyme Inhibitor, Lisinopril, on Morbidity and Mortality in Chronic Heart Failure. Circulation 1999; 100: 2312‐2318. 22. The ALLHAT Collaborative Research Group. Major Outcomes in High‐Risk Hypertensive Patients Randomized to Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibitor or Calcium Channel Blocker vs. Diuretic: The Antihypertensive and Lipid‐Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT). JAMA 2002; 288 (23): 2981‐2997. 23. The PROGRESS collaborative group. Randomised trial of a perindopril‐based blood‐
pressure‐lowering regimen among 6105 individuals with previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack. Lancet 2001; 358: 1033–41. 24. Fox KM et al on behalf of the EUROPA Investigators. Efficacy of perindopril in reduction of cardiovascular events among patients with stable coronary artery disease: randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, multicentre trial (the EUROPA study). Lancet 2003; 362: 782–88. 25. Cleland JGF et al. The perindopril in elderly people with chronic heart failure (PEP‐CHF) study. European Heart Journal 2006; 27: 2338–2345. 26. The PREAMI Investigators. Effects of Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibition with Perindopril on Left Ventricular Remodelling and Clinical Outcome: Results of the Version 2 - 10 -
Randomized Perindopril and Remodelling in Elderly with Acute Myocardial Infarction (PREAMI) Study. Archives of Internal Medicine 2006; 166: 659‐666. 27. Holt P et al. The acute haemodynamic effects of quinapril a non‐sulfhydryl angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor in patients with severe congestive cardiac failure European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 1986;31: 9‐14. 28. Cashin‐Hemphill L et al for the QUIET Investigators. Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibition as Antiatherosclerotic Therapy: No Answer Yet. American Journal of Cardiology 1999; 83: 43–47. 29. The AIRE Investigators. Effect of ramipril on mortality and morbidity of survivors of acute myocardial infarction with clinical evidence of heart failure. Lancet 1993; 342 (8875): 821‐828. 30. Yusuf S et al on behalf of the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation Study Investigators. Effects of an angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor, ramipril, on cardiovascular events in high risk patients. New England Journal of Medicine 2000; 342:145‐153. 31. Wright JT et al. Effect of blood pressure lowering and antihypertensive drug class on progression of hypertensive kidney disease: Results from the AASK trial. JAMA 2002; 288(19): 2421‐31. 32. Kǿber L et al on behalf of the Trandolapril Cardiac Evaluation (TRACE) study group. A clinical trial of the angiotensin‐converting enxyme inhibitor trandolapril in patients with left ventricular dysfunction after myocardial infarction. New England Journal of Medicine 1995; 333: 1670‐76. 33. Ambrosioni E, Borghi C, Magnani B. The effect of the angiotensin‐converting‐enzyme inhibitor zofenopril on mortality and morbidity after anterior myocardial infarction. The Survival of Myocardial Infarction Long‐term Evaluation (SMILE) Study Investigators. New England Journal of Medicine 1995; 332:80–85. 34. Borghi C. Ambrosioni E. Double‐blind comparison between zofenopril and lisinopril in patients with acute myocardial infarction: results of the Survival of Myocardial Infarction Long‐term Evaluation‐2 (SMILE‐2) study. American Heart Journal 2003;145(1):80‐87. 35. Borghi C. Ambrosioni E. Effects of zofenopril on myocardial ischemia in post‐myocardial infarction patients with preserved left ventricular function: the Survival of Myocardial Infarction Long‐term Evaluation (SMILE)‐ISCHEMIA study. American Heart Journal 2007;153(3):445.e7‐14 . Version 2 - 11 -
36. Task Force on ACE‐inhibitors of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Expert consensus document on angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in cardiovascular disease. European Heart Journal 2004; 25: 1454–1470. 37. Tu K et al. Comparison of Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibitors in the Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure. Am J Cardiology 2005; 95:283–286. 38. Heran BS, Wong MMY, Heran IK, Wright JM. Blood pressure lowering efficacy of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for primary hypertension. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD003823. 39. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS). Clinical topic: Hypertension [not diabetic] (2012). Accessed at http://cks.nice.org.uk on 15th July 2013. 40. McMurray et al on behalf of the Heart Failure Task Force of the ESC. ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure 2012. European Heart Journal 2012; 33: 1787–1847. 41. McMurray J et al. Practical recommendations for the use of ACE inhibitors, beta‐
blockers, aldosterone antagonists and angiotensin receptor blockers in heart failure: Putting guidelines into practice. European Journal of Heart Failure 2005;7: 710 – 721. 42. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Clinical Guideline 108: Heart failure (2010). Accessed at www.nice.org.uk on 15th July 2013. 43. American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association in collaboration with the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. 2009 Focused Update: ACCF/AHA Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure in Adults. Circulation 2009; 119:1977‐2016. 44. Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN). Clinical Guideline 95: Management of chronic heart failure (2007). Accessed at www.sign.ac.uk on 15th July 2013. 45. Task force for the management of arterial hypertension of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). 2013 ESH/ESC Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. European Heart Journal doi:10.1093/eurheartj/eht151. 46. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Clinical Guideline 127: Hypertension (November 2011). Accessed at www.nice.org.uk on 15th July 2013. 47. Williams B et al. Guidelines for management of hypertension: report of the fourth working party of the British Hypertension Society, 2004—BHS IV. Journal of Human Hypertension 2004; 18: 139–185. Version 2 - 12 -
48. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ‐ Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS). Clinical topic: Chronic Heart Failure (2010). Accessed at http://cks.nice.org.uk on 15th July 2013. 49. Brown MJ. General Cardiology ‐ a rational basis for selection among drugs of the same class. Heart 2003; 89: 687–694. 50. British National Formulary, July 2013. Accessed www.medicinescomplete.com on 15th July 2013. 51. HSE Primary Care Reimbursement service (PCRS). Reimbursable items list. Accessed at www.sspcrs.ie on 7th March 2014. 52. Bangalore S, Kumar S, Messerli FH. Angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor associated cough: Deceptive Information from the Physician’s Desk Reference. The American Journal of Medicine 2010; 123: 1016‐1030. 53. General Medical Services (GMS) database. Data: January 2013‐March 2013. On file. Version 2 - 13 -
6. Bibliography 1. Blood Pressure Lowering Treatment Trialists’ Collaboration. Effects of ACE inhibitors, calcium antagonists, and other blood pressure‐lowering drugs: results of prospectively designed overviews of randomised trials. Lancet 2000; 355: 1955–64. 2. Brugts JJ et al. The consistency of the treatment effect of an ACE‐inhibitor based treatment regimen in patients with vascular disease or high risk of vascular disease: a combined analysis of individual data of ADVANCE, EUROPA, and PROGRESS trials. European Heart Journal 2009;30:1385‐1394. 3. Bussman WD et al. Long‐term treatment of severe chronic heart failure with captopril: A double‐blind, randomised placebo‐controlled, long‐term study. Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology 1987; 9 (Suppl 2): S50‐S‐60. 4. DiNicolantonie J et al. Not all angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors are equal: focus on perindopril and ramipril. Postgraduate Medicine 2013; 125(4): 154‐168. 5. Gerstein HC et al on behalf of the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) Study Investigators. Effects of ramipril on cardiovascular and microvascular outcomes in people with diabetes mellitus: results of the HOPE study and MICRO‐HOPE sub study. Lancet 2000; 355: 253–59. 6. Goyal D et al. Assessment of single versus twice daily dosing of ramipril by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in patients similar to those included in the HOPE study. Journal of Human Hypertension 2007, Vol. 21 Issue 7, p525‐530. 7. London New Drugs Group. APC/DTC Briefing Document, January 2008: ACE Inhibitors and Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists for Hypertension. Accessed at www.evidence.nhs.uk (August 2013). 8. Mancia G et al. Ambulatory blood pressure values in the Ongoing Telmisartan Alone and In Combination with Ramipril Trial (ONTARGET). Hypertension 2012;60:1400‐1406. 9. Mancia G et al. Reappraisal of European guidelines on hypertension management: a European Society of Hypertension Task Force Document. Journal of Hypertension 2009; 27:2121‐2158. 10. MSD. Correspondence 7th August 2013. Renitec® (enalapril) 5 mg and 20 mg tablets: Summary of Human Pharmacological and Clinical Data. 7th August 2013. On file. 11. Pflugfelder PW et al. Clinical Consequences of Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibitor Withdrawal in Chronic Heart Failure: A Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Study of Quinapril. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 1993,22 :1557‐63. Version 2 - 14 -
12. Prospective Studies Collaboration. Age specific relevance of usual blood pressure to vascular mortality: a meta‐analysis of individual data for one million adults in 61 prospective studies. Lancet 2002; 360: 1903‐13. 13. Servier Laboratories. Correspondence 7th August 2013. Pivotal clinical trials with perindopril. On file. 14. Servier Laboratories. Personal communication 28th August 2013. On file. 15. Servier Laboratories. Personal communication 10th September 2013. On file. 16. World Health Organisation (WHO/International Society of Hypertension (ISH) statement on management of hypertension. Journal of Hypertension 2003;21:1983‐1992 17. World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Drugs Statistics Methodology. ATC/DDD Index 2014. Accessed at www.whocc.no on 7th March 2014. Version 2 - 15 -
Appendix DOSE Prescribe the correct dose and frequency for the patient’s Prescribing Tips for Ramipril condition – see SmPC for details.  Hypertension: start with 2.5 mg once daily  Heart failure: start with 1.25 mg once daily  Up‐titrate by doubling the dose at appropriate intervals There is a range of ramipril preparations available. An up‐to‐date listing is freely available on the Irish Medicines Board website at www.imb.ie. Therapeutic Indications 
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Hypertension Heart failure Cardiovascular prevention: reduction of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in high risk patients, including diabetes Renal disease/nephropathy Secondary prevention after myocardial infarction Dosing and Administration Full prescribing information is available in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) which may be accessed freely online at www.imb.ie and www.medicines.ie. Please consult the SmPC for guidance on prescribing in special patient populations, e.g. renal impairment, and in conditions other than hypertension and heart failure. OPTIMISE Patients benefit from higher doses when tolerated. MONITOR  Renal function – serum creatinine and electrolytes should be checked before starting treatment, 1‐2 weeks after each dose increase and at least annually, thereafter.39
 BP – ACE inhibitors can cause profound hypotension, particularly after the first dose. Patients at increased risk include those with heart failure, those taking concomitant diuretics, on a low‐sodium diet, on dialysis and suffering from dehydration.
 Cough – a persistent dry cough occurs in 10‐15% of patients treated with an ACE inhibitor.
Table A1. Ramipril dosing and administration Indication Hypertension Heart failure Initial Dose 2.5 mg once daily 1.25 mg once daily Titration & Maintenance Double the dose every 2‐4 weeks to max. 10 mg once daily. Comment Patients with strongly activated RAS may require lower starting does, i.e. 1.25 mg. Double the dose every 1‐2 weeks to maximum of 10 mg daily in 1‐2 doses. TARGET  In most patients the target SBP is <140 mmHg. A DBP target of <90 mmHg is always recommended, except in patients with diabetes, in whom values <85 mmHg are recommended.45  In elderly patients with an initial SBP >160 mmHg, a reduction to 140‐150 mmHg may be considered. Further advice on BP targets is accessible via NICE (www.nice.org.uk) and through the ESC website (www.escardio.org). - 16 -